As the third installment of advance tax figures started trickling in a day before December 15, the last date for payments, tax officials expressed optimism of meeting the direct tax target for the current fiscal year (FY11). The direct tax target for the current fiscal year has been set at Rs 4.3 lakh crore against the previous year's collections of Rs 3.7 lakh crore.

Figures available as of Tuesday night were mixed, with some companies having paid lower tax than in the corresponding period of FY10, but major corporates who figure in the list of the 100 largest taxpaying companies are promising to pay 10-20 % more than what they paid a year ago. A clearer picture is expected to emerge by Wednesday evening.